Long-term outcomes after total pancreatectomy and islet cell autotransplantation: is it a durable operation?

Total pancreatectomy and islet cell autotransplantation (TPIAT) has been increasingly utilized for the management of chronic pancreatitis (CP) with early success. However, the long-term durability of this operation remains unclear.

All patients undergoing TPIAT for the treatment of CP with 5-year or greater follow-up were identified for inclusion in this single-center observational study. End points included narcotic requirements, glycemic control, islet function, quality of life (QOL), and survival.

Between 2000 and 2013, 166 patients underwent TPIAT; 112 of these patients had 5-year follow-up data to analyze. All patients underwent successful IAT with a mean of 6027 ± 595 islet equivalents per body weight. There was no perioperative mortality and actuarial survival at 5 years was 94.6%. The narcotic independence rate at 1 year was 55% and continued to improve to 73% at 5-year follow-up (P < 0.05). The insulin independence rate declined over time (38% at 1 year vs 27% at more than 5 years), but insulin requirements remained similar (21.4 vs 24.3 units per day, P = 0.6). All patients achieved stable glycemic control with a median hemoglobin A1C (HgA1C) of 6.9% (range: 5.85%-8.3%). The short form 36-item QOL assessment of a subset of patients available for contact demonstrated continued improvements in all tested modules in patients with at least 5-year follow-up. Two patients developed diabetic complications requiring whole organ pancreas transplant for salvage.

This represents one of the largest series examining long-term outcomes after TPIAT. This operation produces durable pain relief and improvement in QOL parameters. Insulin independence rates decline over time, but most patients maintain stable glycemic control.